The southbound on-ramp to U.S. 101 in Corte Madera, California, in a Kodachrome slide I shot through the back window of our 1956 Rambler station wagon in January 1963. Corte Madera is the "twin city" of my home town, Idyllic™ Larkspur. Rising up in the distance is Marin County's iconic symbol, Mount Tamalpais. Closer and to the left, Corte Madera's "Christmas Tree Hill" is so-named from the practice, in days of yore, of homeowners banding together to illuminate their houses to produce an outline of a Christmas tree when viewed from the distance. To the right, Larkspur's Little and Big King Mountains. Yes, we call hills "mountains" in Marin County. Fortunately, they're protected from development by open-space regulations, and Mt. Tam by state park and Marin Municipal Water District ownership. | Click image for Comments. | Home | Browse All Photos